Academia
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Global perspectives on gender and sexualities take centre stage in Malta
A diversity of perspectives always adds depth and richness to a conversation about any given topic, helping foster more layered and inclusive discussions.
With that objective in mind, the Gender and Sexualities Conference 2026 brought together students, academics, doctoral researchers, industry practitioners, and international experts for two days of discussion exploring gender and sexualities through social, political, historical, and cultural lenses.
Organised annually by the Department of Gender & Sexualities,, within the Faculty for Social Wellbeing at the University of Malta, in collaboration with the , this year’s conference took place on 6 and 7 May at Spazju Kreattiv, St James Cavalier.
The conference welcomed participants and contributors from across the world, including Malta, Sweden, Ireland, the United Kingdom, Scotland, Greece, Germany, the Netherlands, Spain, India, Pakistan, Italy, the United States, Belgium, Turkey, Nigeria, Canada, Hungary, Morocco, Austria, the Czech Republic, and Romania.
Across two days of talks, keynote speeches, panel discussions, creative interventions, and parallel sessions, the conference explored gender and sexualities as lived experiences, political sites, and spaces of resistance, while encouraging dialogue that challenges norms and imagines more inclusive and just futures.
The event opened with welcome addresses delivered by Prof. Carmen Sammut, Pro-Rector for Staff & Student Affairs and Outreach, Prof. JosAnn Cutajar from the Department of Gender & Sexualities and Chair of the Gender Equality and Sexual Diversity Committee (GESDC), as well as Mr Clayton Mercieca, Head (Sexual Diversity, Gender Equality and Mainstreaming), Human Rights Directorate.
On the first day of the Conference, keynote speakers included Soheyla Yazdanpanah, who discussed anti-gender politics in Europe and Sweden, Josianne Scerri speaking about coping strategies among women with triple-negative breast cancer, Fiona Buckley on gender quotas in Ireland, and Simone Attard presenting on assisted reproductive technology in Malta.
Several parallel sessions were also held throughout the proceedings, covering topics such as intersex fertility experiences, HIV stigma, Malta’s sexual health strategy, queer citizenship and belonging, reproductive justice, masculinity, victimhood, and toxic masculinity.
On the second day, keynote speakers included Valerie Heffernan discussing maternal regret and its representation in the media, Edit Kriston speaking about LGBTQ regulations in Hungary, and Brenda Murphy addressing how platform capitalism hijacks the language of activism..
Additional discussions explored domestic violence, femicide, queer governance, gender identity, the impact of AI on beauty standards and women’s bodies, and emotional inequalities linked to household finances in Malta.
During the conference, organisers also presented Astarte: Mediterranean Journal on Gender and Sexualities, an open-access, peer-reviewed journal dedicated to interdisciplinary scholarship in gender and sexuality studies. Based in Malta, the journal aims to foster dialogue between North and South, East and West, connecting feminist, queer, trans, and decolonial perspectives across cultures and histories. The journal takes its name from Astarte, the ancient Phoenician and Canaanite goddess of love, fertility, and war, whose worship once extended to Malta through the ancient temple at Tas-Silġ.
Special gratitude was expressed towards the students whose dedication and work contributed significantly to the welcoming atmosphere and success of the conference.
